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1. Bring the Comfort
A sofa is the main piece to any living room, so why not make it stand out? Adding high-quality throw pillows that make a statement is a simple way to make your living room pop. Try playing with textures and stitching to find the perfect match for your space!
Sites like Wayfair.com and Pier1.com have beautiful, affordable options in all shapes and sizes. Pair your pillows along with a soft, cozy blanket that carries the same color themes and voila, your living room is transformed!
2. Add Some Borders
Prints and posters are an easy way to get our favorite art into our homes at an affordable price. However, most people leave their pictures unframed, instead tacking them up wherever is accessible in the moving craze – not to be touched again unless they fall down.
Unframed prints look unfinished. Adding a simple frame can really transform your picture – making that Monet poster from the museum actually look worthy of Monet! Take the time to measure your piece and go out and get a frame. It’s worth it!
3. Make it Match
Investing in a spice tower can really beautify your kitchen countertops and drawers to get rid of unwanted clutter. No more random jars with mismatched labels! Some spice racks even come with free refills, like this one on Amazon which refills for five years! Cooking will be more fun, too!
4. Go Green
House plants bring life into your space, but only if they’re still alive! Succulents make great house plants as they require little care and there are so many varieties.
Did you know you can buy plants from Amazon.com? Check out this 20 pack of succulents for only $40.00! You can decorate the whole house with this collection.
5. Bathe in Style
A beautiful shower curtain can transform your bathroom from something drab to something fab. Check out these options from Wayfair.com to bring your space up a notch!
So there you have it! Five easy tips to liven up your apartment that don’t require anything other than an online order. Happy shopping!
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With summer in full swing, it’s not uncommon for all of us to seek swift and simple ways to stay out of the kitchen in the late afternoon. No need to go out to dine when the barbecue stations await your arrival to prepare a quick and simple summer barbecue supper right here at Juniper Springs.
BBQ Chicken with Peach and Feta Slaw
Serves 4 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups slaw and about 3 1/2 oz. chicken)
Ingredients
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches (about 2 medium)
1 (12-oz.) pkg. broccoli slaw
3 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1-in. strips
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
2 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Preparation
1. Combine 4 tablespoons oil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add peaches and slaw to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add barbecue sauce to bowl; toss.
3. Divide slaw mixture evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with chicken strips. Sprinkle with chives, feta, and bacon.
See you at the Barbecue!
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With the sun setting later in the West, and temperatures rising all around us, it must be the season for the Q! To get you in the mood, we’re sharing one of our favorite barbecue sauce recipes that we encourage you to use all summer long right here at Juniper Spring’s own barbecue that’s on property for you and yours to enjoy from sun-up to sundown, and then some.
The Best Barbecue Recipe In Town … Includes Dr. Pepper
An ice cold soda has gone hand in hand with barbecues for generations so why not include a good splash or two into this summer-perfect sauce.
This simple and oh-so-easy recipe combines Dr. Pepper with a rich tomato based sauce that is perfect for all kinds of barbecue, particularly smoked ribs. Give this one a try next time you fire up the grill right here in your own backyard at your apartment in Austin, TX.
Easy and Delicious Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 3 ½ Cups
Combine all of the following ingredients in medium saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes; stir often. Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for 15 minutes.
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 1/2 cup Dr. Pepper
- 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons mild chili powder
- 1teaspoon sweet paprika
- a few drops of liquid smoke (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Remember that any sauce that contains sugars (like this one does) will burn at temperatures above 265 degrees F. If you are cooking at temperatures above this, wait until meat or poultry are cooked before applying the sauce. This will prevent burning so you can avoid blackened ribs, burgers, chicken, or pork.
Cheers!
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With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’re dedicating this Blog to all the Moms around the world …. and our own dear mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers right here at Juniper Springs apartments in Austin.
As we begin to celebrate this very special day on May 8th, we thought it might be interesting to find out how this very appropriate day came to life.
According to all of our research, the earliest history dates back to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddess. The Greeks used the occasion to honor Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology.
Ancient Romans celebrated Hilaria – a festival dedicated to Cybele – a mother goddess. Yet the most recent history dates back to the early1600’s in England when “Mothering Sunday” was annually celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent. It was after a prayer service to honor Virgin Mary when children then presented gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.
The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. While dates and celebrations vary, Mother’s Day most commonly falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves presenting mothers with flowers, cards and other gifts.
Be it breakfast in bed, a day at the pool, or a night on the town in Austin, we hope all of our Moms who call Juniper Springs their “home sweet home” a very happy and heartwarming Mother’s Day!
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As we all do our best to live a full life at our home at Juniper Springs, all around us there are non-profit organizations that would love to have your help to help their clients (most are kids that need your help!) have a better life.
If you have some extra time in your day, or have a desire to get out to help those who need it most, perhaps one or more of the following non-profit organizations in Austin, Texas, might be of interest to you.
Thanks for getting out there if you can. If nothing else, it will make you, and those who need you, feel real good!
4-H Capital AmeriCorp
1600-B Smith Road
Austin, TX 78721
512-854-9600
Texas 4-H is like a club for kids and teens ages 5-18, and it’s big! It’s the largest youth development program in Texas with more than 550,000 youth each year. No matter where you live or what you like to do, Texas 4-H welcomes the opportunity for volunteers throughout the year to get involved with kids in Austin.
You may think 4-H is only for your neighbors with animals, but it’s so much more. Children and young adults throughout the rejoin participate in food science, healthy living, robotics, fashion, photography and more.
Volunteers are always needed. Call them today at 512-854-9600.
Austin Bat Cave
Box 4762
Austin, TX
78765
Austin Bat Cave is a non-profit writing and tutoring center for kids that connects a diverse population of young writers and learners with a vibrant community of adult volunteers in Austin. Throughout the years, the organization has worked hard to fill the gaps in the public education system and give students an opportunity to give voice to their thoughts and ideas while strengthening their writing skills across all subjects at the same time.
Volunteers are needed to teach, to be classroom assistants, to help with special events, and for other educational activities. For more information, click here.
West Austin Youth Association
1314 Exposition Blvd
Austin, TX 78703
512-473-2528
WAYA's mission is to offer an array of fun, safe activities for the youth of Austin that are not limited by school boundary, physical disability, financial need, skill level or zip code.
If you’re not familiar with WAYA, their website says it best: It’s about challenges and accomplishments, individual opportunity, discovery, positive coaching and leadership, and most importantly, volunteerism and giving back. As WAYA has grown to include over 60 zip codes in and around Austin, this growth offers our organization the opportunity, responsibility, and privilege to be in service to others.
To continue this mission, WAYA seeks assistance in a variety of levels. From financial contributions, to in-kind donations (sports equipment, camping gear, etc.) to hours of volunteering to help kids lead a better life. To learn more about how you can get involved, click here or call 512-473-2528
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No matter how you celebrate the season, don’t miss out on what has to be one of the nation’s best collections of music and gifts galore at the 40th Annual Armadillo Christmas Bazaar December 15 – 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (daily) at the Palmer Events Center.
It’s known as the state’s longest running art and music festival that appeals to every edge of our vibrant community in Austin. From hand-made collectible art to modestly priced stocking stuffers and from the smart to the weird, there are 160 artists on tap to solve any shopping challenge one may have.
And if shopping is not on your list, no problem. This year’s line-up for musical talent touches genres for the young, the old and in between.
According to the media who annually cover this holiday festival, at least three bands per day will perform on the Armadillo stage … with a star-studded music lineup that reads like a who’s who of Texas music. The 31 performances range from new and emerging stars to local legends, as well as Grammy winners.
“Armadillo’s intimate stage allows you to experience big Texas musicians in a cozy holiday setting. This year features new musicians such as John Fullbright and Gina Chavez as well as returning local icons Ray Wylie Hubbard, Asleep at the Wheel and Marcia Ball.”
Want to know more about the talent? Follow the Armadillo Blog for some super insight about the super star line-up.
Tickets are $8 for a single-day pass which is available at the door or in advance online. For the best value, purchase a season pass which allows for entry throughout the duration of the show. Children 12 and under are free. For all the specifics, visit armadillobazaar.com.
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